[Ansteorra-archery] Ansteorra-archery New ruling

[Eadric Anstapa]

Glenn Long wrote:
> Okay...I have made an arrow/bolt like the one described in the new
> ruling....they don't fly very well at all...
Sorry, it may take you time to figure out exactly what you need to do 
for your bolts.

> wouldn't 1.5 inches and
> extra strapping tape make the head stiffer than side foam?....
No.  The side wraps add stiffness that simply using a 1.5" diameter foam 
disk does not.

>  FYI...the new
> ruling made it sound like you could just add on side foam to the arrow
> you already have built....that does not work....your bolt will be off
> balance in one direction or another.
>   
YOUR bolt may be off balanced to one side or another but that doesn't 
mean that all of them will.  It will depend in part on how you assembled 
an taped your blunts, the materials you used, and what kind of shape 
they are in.  Doubtless some of mine that are getting worn will simply 
need to be stripped to the skeletons and completely repadded.

> When I build a bolt, almost everything is done linear to the
> shaft....foam taping etc. Now....you have one part of the head going
> perpendicular to the shaft...I foresee not being able to put my crossbow bolt on target more often because of this balance issue. They curve.....
I assure you that there are lots of SCA archers that have been using the 
side wraps on their blunts for years that are still very deadly.  We 
will all have to learn the best way to assemble the blunts so that they 
are legal and shoot best for us.  We will also have to adjust to bolts 
that have a little more drag and a little more weight up front.  But ya 
know that added weight and drag is no more than if you switch from a 
1/25" UHMW blunt to a Baldar Blunt.

Lets keep in mind that lots of  archers predicted that APDs would be the 
end of CA  and some just walked away from CA rather than make their ammo 
safer by equipping them with APDs.  But today, even if APDs were not 
required, and even if I thought there was zero danger from the nock end 
of combat ammo, I and others would still equip all our ammo with APDs.  
Why?  because it turned out that the extra weight and drag on the rear 
of the ammo was just what was needed to improve accuracy (we knew all 
along the balance point on CA ammo was was too front of center).  Sure, 
I lost a little range but made up for it in improved accuracy.

> I will do whatever I need to do....but it seems like this
> ruling was a special, do it now, ruling. I, like everyone else, have
> many bolts to redo....I don't want to do it till we have some idea of
> what the future holds.
>   

But we gotta have people like you, (a marshal and a Kings Archer) out 
there, testing, trying, and  then testing and training again as needed, 
and communicating so we  can learn the best way to get through this.

-EA